Longines Watches: a short history
Longines is a Swiss watchmaker based at St Imier. Established in 1832 they are now part of the Swatch Group. Here is a short history of the Longines company.
Longines is a Swiss watchmaker based at St Imier. Established in 1832 they are now part of the Swatch Group.
In 1832 Auguste Agassiz started a Agassiz & compangnie with a partnership between himself and another company in Saint-Imier. By the 1850’s Auguste’s nephew Ernest Francillon took over the management of the company.
Breaking with Tradition
In the mid 19th century watch making was typically a home-based business and the watchmaker has some kind of agent (called a comptoir) who would sell their timepieces on the world market. Longines worked as an établisseur in which the company does not manufacture parts themselves but assembles watches from parts purchased from specialist suppliers. It then established trade links around the world, especially with North America.
Ernest believed it would be more efficient to bring the manufacturing inside a single factory where mechanical production methods could be used to assemble and finish the watch. The factory was located on the banks of the river Suzze in the Saint-Imier valley in 1866, an area known as Les Longines. The enterprise was stunningly successful and by 1911 had more than 1100 employees.
The logo of a winged hourglass has been in use since 1867 and became a well known symbol at sporting events such as gymnastics, horse jumping, skating, tennis and skiing. The quality of Longines time measurement was sought after for world-class sporting events events such as the Olympics (since1892) and Formula One motor racing, and it still is today. Many Baseball stadiums had Longines scoreboard analogue clocks.
The company won many awards for innovation and in 1970 produced the world’s first consumer LCD watch. Over the next decade they reduced the watch to less than 1mm thick.
In the 1980’s, Longines became part of the Swatch Group. In 2012 they celebrated 180 years in business, which is no mean achievement. In that time they have produced more than 30 million watches.
eBay USA
On eBay UK: | Longines GTS Conquest Chronograph L3.660.4 £ 400.00 |
 | Vintage Longines Small Seconds Watch - 1940s ? - Not Working - Spares / Repair / £ 84.99 |
 | Ladies Longines Flagship Le Grande Classique Watch L5.132.4 £ 195.00 |
 | Longines Automatic Record 38mm Gents Stainless Steel Watch, 2018 £ 975.00 |
 | JOB LOT WATCHES MOVEMENTS 24× WristWatches Rotary,Movado,Longines,Avia,Garrard £ 150.00 |
 | longines hydroconquest 39mm £ 450.00 |
 | Longines Master Collection ladies mechanical watch £ 499.00 |
 | Longines Ultra Chron - with original mesh bracelet - fully serviced £ 425.00 |
 | Longines HydroConquest Commonwealth XXII Limited Edition Watch £ 1,150.00 |
 | LONGINES SPIRIT ZULU TIME Sunray Blue 42mm Automatic L3.812.4.93.6 Full Set £ 1,650.00 |
 | Vintage Longines Conquest VHP Stainless Steel Mens Watch. Parts or repairs £ 100.00 |
 | Longines Les Grandes Classiques quartz ladies watch in excelent condition, box £ 249.00 |
 | 1990s Longines Presence ref 3979 150 9ct gold dress watch Quartz L150.4 £ 650.00 |
 | Longines Avigation 'Big Eye' Chronograph **UNUSED** Titanium £ 2,400.00 |
 | Longines Flagship men's quartz watch - mint condition, new battery, Longines box £ 235.00 |
 | Longines Master Collection Automatic 38.5mm Ref. L2.628.4 With Box And Papers £ 799.99 |
 | Stunning Longines Conquest 41mm Silver Dial Full Box Set Excellent Condition ! £ 495.00 |
 | Longines Spirit Automatic Chronometer Silver Dial Stainless Mens Watch L38114732 £ 1,000.00 |
 | Longines Legend Diver £ 899.99 |
 | Longines Master Collection Men's Black Watch - L2.628.4.51.6 £ 1,000.00 |
 | LONGINES Conquest V.H.P 43MM Quartz Rubber Men's Watch L3.726.4.76.9 £ 600.00 |
 | Longines Ladies LA GRANDE CLASSIQUE L4.209 | Longines Watches | Dial Two Colour £ 125.00 |
 | Longines men’s watch £ 1,800.00 |
 | Longines Heritage 1832 Moonphase L4.826.4922 £ 1,050.00 |
 | Longines Conquest VHP 36mm High Accuracy Quartz Watch £ 449.00 |
 | Longines La Grande Classique Women's Black faced Watch - L4.209.4 £ 250.00 |
 | Longines Evidenza Watch £ 600.00 |
 | 2024 Longines DolceVita Gents Automatic Watch Ref. L5.757.4 £ 895.00 |
 | Longines Heritage Military Automatic £ 800.00 |
 | longines conquest £ 390.00 |
 | Longines 22a automatic with black dial from 1953 £ 245.00 |
 | Longines La Grande Classique Men’s 37mm L47662117 £ 599.99 |
 | Longines The Master Collection Watch (L2.629.4) Boxed. £ 1,300.00 |
 | Longines Conquest Gents Quartz 41mm £ 350.00 |
 | longines conquest 38mm L37204526 £ 1,200.00 |
 | 1945 longines ww2 military watch cal 10.68Z £ 245.00 |
 | gold plated Longines quartz watch on black leather strap - spares or repairs. £ 62.00 |
 | LONGINES TRENCH WATCH 1918 £ 200.00 |
 | Womens Longines Primaluna 30mm Watch L81134906 with proof of purchase £ 550.00 |
 | Longines Dolce Vita ladies quartz watch-excellent condition, new battery, box £ 275.00 |
